


Abet

by camichats



Series: Dictionary Prompts [26]
Category: Marvel
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Howard Stark Lives, Howard Stark's Good Parenting, Secret Identity, background Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark, young Tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-06-08
Packaged: 2019-05-19 20:40:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14880842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/camichats/pseuds/camichats
Summary: Tony has a secret identity he doesn't want, but Howard does. They talk it out.





	Abet

**Author's Note:**

> A sequel to [Aberrant](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14876465)

Tony was staring at him, cheeks pink in frustration and very obviously trying to keep his temper in check-- not that Howard would blame him if he let loose.

Howard wrung his hands. “I don’t see why they need to know.”

“For fuck’s sake, Howard! They’re my _team_. We’ve been working together for years, they deserve to know who’s inside the armor.”

“But the risk--”

“Is nonexistent,” he said firmly. “Either you trust them, or you don’t. And considering you’re funding them, let them live in your house, and trust them to save the world on a weekly basis, I think it’s safe to say that yes, you trust them.”

“It’s not about whether or not I trust them.”

“Then what the hell is it about?”

Howard sighed and rubbed his temple. “I wish Maria were here. She always knew how to talk to you.”

“That’s because she talked to me before the age of seventeen.”

That was fair, even though it hurt. Howard got into a crash accident because he’d been drinking, and Maria had died because of it. Having a wake up call at fifty-eight wasn’t the best way to live, but at least it had happened before he _completely_ missed Tony’s life. Howard’s fingers itched for a glass, so he curled them into a fist and rubbed his knuckles against his leg. “The last person I trusted with you was- Stane. I know that the Avengers are completely different, but I don’t trust my judgement there anymore.”

“They’re the _Avengers_. They are honest-to-god superheroes. If there’s anyone in the entire world to trust, it’s them. Besides, you don’t have to do it, you just have to let me do it.”

“I wasn’t aware I could stop you.”

“Well you wouldn’t be able to stop me, but you could make me miserable after I do it.”

“I wouldn’t do that.”

Tony gave him a flat look. “Ignoring that heinous lie, Bucky already knows, and he was fine with it.”

“Why does Bucky know?”

“Because he’s my boyfriend?”

“What?” Howard squawked. “Since when?”

“Howard… you’ve known this for months. It hasn’t been a secret.”

Howard frowned in confusion. “Really?”

Tony nodded. “Everyone knows. I even told you before the team found out because I didn’t want you to freak out and do something stupid.”

Howard folded his arms and tried to pretend he wasn’t pouting. “You and Bucky though? He’s…”

“He’s what.”

Howard grasped around for the word before settling on, “Old.”

“He’s five years older than me. Eight if you really want to get technical, but definitely not more than ten.”

“You’re _twenty_ , Tony. You shouldn’t be settling down this young.”

“Okay first of all, I’m well aware of my age. Second of all, who says I’m settling down? Third of all, you didn’t settle down until you were thirty-fucking-eight, so I’m _really_ not asking for your opinion.”

“Tony,” Howard said, looking and sounding every bit the father figure in that one word. “I may not know you best, but I recognize that look.”

“How on earth could you recognize the look when you didn’t even know we were together.”

“I thought you had a crush. A big one, admittedly, but I didn’t think you looked that sappy because you were dating.”

“Your amount of oblivious but observative is kind of impressive. And I’m telling the team I’m Iron Man. I get why you’re nervous, but it’s not a good enough reason for me, not for this long.”

“I’m not going to win this am I.”

“You’ve already lost.”

Howard sighed. “Yeah okay. Do you want me to be with you?”

Tony opened his mouth to say ‘no, that’s weird’, but he paused. “Yeah actually. That’d be nice.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on tumblr [@cami-chats](http://cami-chats.tumblr.com)


End file.
